My Dad's 1989 4Runner

[Chuckles89]

Hello everyone:
I have been lurking around here for about a year and a half, and I finally decided to register.

My dad had an 1989 4Runner (which he got in 1996 and sold in 2008)

I have always wanted one and I am turning 16 soon. I hope to have a nice 1st gen within the next year or two.

Well, here is a short build list and pics of his truck.

1989 4Runner Utility Wagon – 5 speed – 22RE
Blue Metallic paint / Black rear top

Garage kept for 10.5+ years
Approx 2 in suspension lift
Owner maintained

List of upgrades:
Front Suspension / Drivetrain
Randy’s R&P / Yukon front differential (open) – 4.56 gears
Standard Bilstein shocks
Sway-A-Way torsion bars
Front half-shafts rebuilt and converted to “quick change” (i.e. no studs / grade 8 bolts)

Rear Suspension / Drivetrain
Randy’s R&P / Yukon rear differential w/ Detroit Locker– 4.56 gears
Bilstein 5150 shocks
Old Man Emu Dakar springs

Transmission – rebuilt by Marlin Crawler w/ HD bearing upgrade
Transfer Case – rebuilt by Marlin Crawler (stock gearing)
Marlin HD Clutch (1600 lbs – same as V-6 version)
Budbuilt crossmember / skidplate (high clearance)
Poly body bushings

Engine – original – no rebuild 486,000 miles
No smoke (no joke – unless you let it idle for 10 minutes or more – will cruise at 70 – 75 all day long – loaded)

No oil leaks
Downey / K&N Intake
Downey Header
Flex-a-lite electric fan
Downey / Denso HD Alternator
Duralast battery

15x7 in. black steel wheels by AR
BFG 31x10.5 AT’s – lots of tread left

Body good condition to excellent – all original panels – never wrecked
Paint is mostly in real good condition – 4 small (1 in.) rust spots on fenders
Two small (smaller than palm of hand) dents in rear side (backed into trashcan and jack-knifed my trailer)
Poly body bushings
Trailer hitch receiver (2 in.) with light hook-ups
30x10.5 BFG AT spare
Yakama Roof Rack
Interior
Corbeau seats
Rear seat belts upgraded to shoulder from lap belts
Black rubber floor mats / vinyl carpet
Awesome stereo – Sony CD / Infinity front speakers / Boston rear / JL Sub / 40 watt rms stereo Kenwood amp / Sony 100 watt rms mono sub amp
CB antenna

Exterior:






Engine:


Interior:


Only pics I can find of the undercarriage, which show his budbilt skit plate

 

[KidVermicious]

Love the avatar pic, that's pure Toyota right there.

 

[slowpoke99]

wow that's one clean 1st gen!

welcome!!!

 

[GuyHUey]

Nice Runner! Reminds me of my 89.

GH

 

[slowpoke99]

Love the avatar pic, that's pure Toyota right there.

so very true! and still good for probably another 100,000+ miles!:biggrin2:

 

[Chuckles89]

Nice Runner! Reminds me of my 89.

GH

Yours looks very nice too- like everything I can see except the older style side mirrors

Thanks KidV and Slowpoke

If i can find the highest mileage thread, i think this one wins with 490000 as of 2008. It probably has around 550000 now.

 

[Chuckles89]

so very true! and still good for probably another 100,000+ miles!:biggrin2:

Thanks for noticing. On my dad's the gas tank door hinge was rusted off, so he fixed it with some JB Weld:biggrin2: He ordered a new gas door, but he didn't put it on because it was painted black

 

[USE911]

I had a very similar story to you. My parents (my moms rig, my dad did all the work) had a 1988 4runner when I was growing up. It was lifted 4in, had 33in tires, and was a beauty. I loved it. They sold it when I was 13.

I was looking for a 4runner from the time I got my permit and would not settle for anything else. Then, a week before my 16th birthday, I found my black 89 for $1000 on CL. My birthday present that year was a loan. I wanted to make mine just like my parents old one. I ended up going a bit bigger.

It was nearly 5 years ago since I bought it. Since then, I have bought a FJ60 land cruiser, 3 toyota p/u's, and an 86 4runner. Nothing beats my 1st 4runner though. Hopefully you can share the same success and love for your future rig. Good luck!

 

[Chuckles89]

I had a very similar story to you. My parents (my moms rig, my dad did all the work) had a 1988 4runner when I was growing up. It was lifted 4in, had 33in tires, and was a beauty. I loved it. They sold it when I was 13.

I was looking for a 4runner from the time I got my permit and would not settle for anything else. Then, a week before my 16th birthday, I found my black 89 for $1000 on CL. My birthday present that year was a loan. I wanted to make mine just like my parents old one. I ended up going a bit bigger.

It was nearly 5 years ago since I bought it. Since then, I have bought a FJ60 land cruiser, 3 toyota p/u's, and an 86 4runner. Nothing beats my 1st 4runner though. Hopefully you can share the same success and love for your future rig. Good luck!

Good story
I hope I can find a 4runner or 4x4 pickup
But, I do have a fun car to drive for a while- 2000 celica gts 6speed :biggrin2:

Another car I would like is a early 90s Celica All Trac turbo or Mr2

 

[Nervo19]

My '88 4Runner - I purchased in '88- was nearly identical to your dad's. It was medium blue metallic (code 8D47) with the DLX vinyl floor and seats. I really need to scan some pictures of it on the beach. The blue was very rare around here and I always got compliments on it.

Stupidly I sold it at 100,000 miles in 1996 to buy a 1997 4Runner to haul my first child and his stuff. I was hoping he would inherit it -- I have a few pix of him as a baby "driving" it. It got wrecked through no fault of mine so I got the 2000 I have now. We also have a white '89 DLX and he wishes it was blue.

So you have a Celica and are hoping to also get a 4Runner?

 

[Chuckles89]

So you have a Celica and are hoping to also get a 4Runner?

My dad has a white 2000 Celica that he is letting me drive for a couple years until I go to college. I want a 4runner or 4x4 Xtra Cab

 

[Greg_Canada]

Good story
I hope I can find a 4runner or 4x4 pickup
But, I do have a fun car to drive for a while- 2000 celica gts 6speed :biggrin2:

Another car I would like is a early 90s Celica All Trac turbo or Mr2
View attachment 93665

View attachment 93666

The alltrac's are nice cars but, you HAVE TO MAKE SURE it has been well maintained.

I have 89 and 99 4runners, 89 is in the middle of a full resto... i had a 90' celica alltrac a few years ago, and i loved it, but it was a money and time hog. If i had space and time to fix it up i would, but they're not cheap like the trucks to fix, much more difficult to find parts, and are generally abused.

Good luck finding a truck!

 

[Chuckles89]

The alltrac's are nice cars but, you HAVE TO MAKE SURE it has been well maintained.

I have 89 and 99 4runners, 89 is in the middle of a full resto... i had a 90' celica alltrac a few years ago, and i loved it, but it was a money and time hog. If i had space and time to fix it up i would, but they're not cheap like the trucks to fix, much more difficult to find parts, and are generally abused.

Good luck finding a truck!

Thanks for the advice

I know how hard it is to find even a decent ST or GT Celica in Middle Tennessee- I have only found around five or six reasonably priced ones in the past year or two

1st gen 4runners that aren't trashed are hard to find here too.

I did find one on cl today that needs a transmission rebuild.
1988 Toyota 4 runner 4x4

 

[Greg_Canada]

Thanks for the advice

I know how hard it is to find even a decent ST or GT Celica in Middle Tennessee- I have only found around five or six reasonably priced ones in the past year or two

1st gen 4runners that aren't trashed are hard to find here too.

I did find one on cl today that needs a transmission rebuild.
1988 Toyota 4 runner 4x4

Best place to look is probably www.all-trac.net in the classified section, and take a plane out to get one and drive it home...

 

[fricksean]

Oh my oh my oh my oh my..... All I can say. It looks soooooooooo fine!

 

[Chuckles89]

I finally found one that I think my dad is going to go and look at. Hopefully it hasn't sold already.

1989 Toyota 4runner

 

[Chuckles89]

I finally found one that I think my dad is going to go and look at. Hopefully it hasn't sold already.

1989 Toyota 4runner

It sold the day after it was posted.

I guess it just wasn't meant to be.

Here is a pic if you didn't see the ad.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=97855&stc=1&d=1379169026

 

[Nervo19]

That red one was really nice. Now that you're officially in the market for one get some money lined up and check CL every morning before breakfast.

 

[Chuckles89]

Found one of his old threads- has a few different pictures.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/gallery/35344-my-old-4runner-487-000-miles.html

 

[Surf89]

Found one of his old threads- has a few different pictures.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/gallery/35344-my-old-4runner-487-000-miles.html

So was that your dad's thread? So cool. 6 years ago?